And winslow r



am STA-res JOHN II. MORSE, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, AND VVINSLOVV R. PARSONS OF CIIICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID PARSONS ASSIGNOR TO SAID MORSE.

TURFING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,019, dated March 10, 1896.

Application filed March 18, 1895. Serial No. 542,275. (No model.)

.To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN H. MORSE, of Kansas City, IVyandotte county, Kansas, and W'INSLOW R. PARsONS, of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turfing Im-- plements, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention relates to implements used in that class of embroidery-work known as turfing, such embroidery consisting of a succession of loops of any suitable thread raised upon the surface of the fabric so embroidered.

Our invention relates more particularly to that class of turfing implements in which a needle having an eye near or at its point is inserted by hand through the fabric from its back and successively withdrawn, so as to form the turfing-loops.

The objects of our invention are,first,to produce a turfin g implement which shall be more simple and less expensive and at the same time more durable in construction than devices of this kind heretofore produced; secondly, to produce a turfing implement which, in addition to the advantages above enumergo-ated, shall be direct and positive in its action, easy to manipulate, and composed of but comparatively few moving parts, whereby the wear of the implement shall be reduced to the minimum, and its usefulness shall be 3 5 greatly augmented.

To the above purposes our invention consists in certain peculiar and novel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is an inverted perspective view of a turfing implement embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 5 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same on the line i 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of the hollow plug for carrying the needle and guiding the stirrup-bar.

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the stirrup-bar or locking device. Fig. 7 is an inverted perspective View of a modified form of our turfing implement. Fig. Sis a longitudinal section of the same on the line 8 8 of 7. Fig. 9 is across-section of the same on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a detached inverted perspective view of the modified form of stirrup-bar used in the implement shown in Fig. 7, and also a detached perspective view of a modified form of needle-carrying and stirrup-bar-guiding plug used in the implement shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 1.1 is a side elevation of the implement shown in Fig. 7, and illustrating its loop-forming operations. Fig. 12 is a detached inverted perspective view of a skeleton form of the stirrup-bar shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 13 is a detached inverted perspective view of a skeleton form of the stirrup-bar shown in Fig. 10. Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, 1 designates the 7c handle of our turfing implement, the said handle being constructed of wood, hard rubber, metal, or any other suitable rigid material. As shown, the handle is of greatest eX- ternal diameter at its middle and is gradually 7 5 tapered toward its opposite ends, and, furthermore, said handle is shown as being perfectly plain externally. However, it is to be understood that this precise external contour and formation of the handle 1 may be varied and the handle ornamented in any suitable manner, as desired, without departing from the essential spirit of our invention. A bore 2 extends longitudinally through the center of the handle 1, and said bore is preferably of uniform diameter throughout its length, but may be otherwise, if desired, as hereinafter explained. Into one end of this bore 2 is inserted a short tubular plug 3, which may be of metal, hard rubber, wood, or of any 0 other suitable rigid material, and the channel of which is of considerably less diameter than the channel or bore of the handle 1. The surface of the channel of this plug 3 is formed with two grooves or recesses 4., which are 9 5 placed oppositely from each other, and each of which extends throughout the length of the plug. A third groove 5 is also formed upon the surface of the channel of plug 3 and also extends throughout the length of the channel, and the plug is, futhermore, formed with an intern ally-screw-threaded opening 6,which is located directly opposite the groove 5 and which extends transversely through the side of the plug. The third groove 5 receives and forms a socket for the butt-end of a needle 7, which is of any usual form of sewingneedle. 9 designates a set-screw, which passes transversely through one side of the end of the handle 1 at a point opposite from the groove 5, and the externally-screw-threaded stem of which works in the opening 6, while the inner end of said stem impinges upon the butt-end of the needle 7, and thus securely retains said needle in stationary position in its groove 5. Longitudinally through the bore of the handle 1 extends a stirrup-bar 10, which is preferably of sheet metal, but which may be of any suitable rigid material. As shown in Fig. 6, the body portion of this stirrup-bar is of fiat, narrow, or strip-like form, and at one end this body portion is turned at right angles, forming a stirrup 11, the said stirrup bein g formed with a longitudinal slot 12. Near this end said bar is formed with a longitudinal slot 13. The opposite end of this bar 10 is formed with a head or finger-piece 14,which extends also at right angles from the bar, and near this head or finger-piece said bar is formed with two lateral extensions 15, which are located precisely opposite from each other and which converge toward each other in segmental form.

If the stirrup-bar is formed of sheet metal the blank from which it is constructed pre sents the appearance shown in Fig. 6that is to say, the extensions 15 and head 14 extend in fiat form, as shown in solid lines, and are subsequently bent or stamped upward into their required positions, as shown in dotted lines.

When the implement is in use it is preferably held so that the needle shall point nearly vertically downward, and for convenience of description, therefore, that end of the handle 1 into which the needle is inserted will be called the lower end. Now the stirrup-bar is so placed that its stirrup protrudes laterally at the lower end of the handle, while the finger-piece or head 14 protrudes similarly from the upper end of the handle. When the needle is in proper position it projects through the slot 12 of the stirrup, while the stem of the retaining-screw projects through the slot 13. The extensions 15 lie within the upper end of the bore of the handle 1, and within this bore is placed a spiral spring 16, which surrounds the body portion of the stirrup-bar, and the lower end of which impinges upon the inner end of the plug 3, while the upper end of said spring impinges beneath the inner ends of the extensions 15. The tendency of the spring 16 is thus to retain the stirrup-bar retracted, or in its uppermost position.

Referring now to Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, we will describe certain modifications of the implement above described, but which do not involve any departure from the essential spirit of the invention. In this instance the tubular plug 3 is dispensed with and the lower end of the spring 16 impinges upon an annular shoulder 17 in the lower end of the handle, said shoulder being formed by reducing the diameter of the lower end of the bore of the handle throughout a suitable distance. At its upper end a stirrup-bar is formed with the extensions 15, as before described, and the spring 16 in thisv instance presses, as before, beneath the inner ends of said extensions, so as to retain the stirrup-bar in elevated or retracted position. In lieu of the tubular plug 3 this implement is provided with a closed plug 18, (see Fig. 10,) which is of metal, hard rubber, or other suitable rigid material. This closed plug is shown as of approximately T form in cross-sectionthat is to say, it is formed upon one side with a lateral extension 19, which transversely is of less width than the body portion of the plug, and which extends throughout the length of said plug, as is clearly shown in Fig. 10. The outer sides of the body portion and extension are of segmental form and the total diameter of the plug corresponds with the internal diameter of the bore at the lower end of the handle. The two opposite sides of the extension 19 are concaved or recessed toward each other so as to form two oppositely-disposed grooves or recesses, as 20, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained, and through the body portion of the plug is formed a longitudinal channel 21 to receive the butt of the needle '7. An internally-screw-threaded socket 22 is formed transversely through the extension 19 about midway of the length'thereof and opens at its inner end into the channel 21. Into this transverse socket enters the stem of the setscrew 9, and the needle 7 being in position the inner end of the screw-stem impinges upon the butt of the needle, and thus retains said needle securely in stationary position.

The body portion 10 of the stirrup-bar is in this instance formed at its lower end with a longitudinal slot 23, which preferably tapers gradually at its lower end, forming a cross-bar 25 at the lower end of the bar and into the upper end of which slot opens a longitudinal extension-slot 24. In all other respects this stirrup-bar is similar in form to the stirrup-bar previously described, it being observed that the lower end of the bar is in this instance not bent at right angles, as before. In this instance the side of the slot 23 embraces the extension 19 of the plug, and works in the grooves or recesses 20 above described, while the cross-bar 25 extends directly across the lower end of the plug.

Before describing in detail the operation of the turfing implement we will describe the two skeleton forms of the stirrup-bars.

Referring first to Fig. 12, a skeleton stirrup-bar is shown which is adapted to be used in the implement shown in Figs. 1 and This skeleton stirrup-bar is formed of a single piece of steel wire or other wire possessing the necessary strength and rigidity. The middle portion 26 of this wire is of straight form, while its upper end is bent to form a circular loop 27, which serves the purpose of the head or finger-piece 14. Below the loop 27 the wire is again bent to form a similar circular loop 28, which serves the purpose of the extensions 15, the upper end of the spring 16 being designed to press upon said loop. Near its lower end the wire is bent laterally, as at 29, and below the bend the wire is carried on in straight form to the lower end of the wire. At its lower end the wire is bent outwardly and then inwardly, so as to form a loop 30, which corresponds in function to the stirrup 11. The wire is then bent upwardly upon itself, so as to extend against the side of the lower part of the main part of the wire for a short distance. The wire is then bent laterally, as at 31, and the extremity of the wire is then soldered or otherwise secured to the main part of the wire. It will be seen that the bends 29 and 31 form a loop which corresponds to the slot 13.

In Fig. 13 we have shown a skeleton form of the stirrup-bar which is adapted for use in the implement shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 11. This skeleton bar is likewise formed of steel wire or of other wire possessing the required strength and rigidity, and its body portion is straight, as before, the upper part of this skeleton bar having also the loops 27 and 28, just described. At its lower part the wire is in this instance bent outward, as at 32, then still farther outwardly, as at 33, then inwardly, as at 34, then transversely, as at 35, then outwardly and upwardly, as at 36, then farther upward, as at 37 and then inwardly and upwardly, as at 38, the extremity of the wire being soldered or otherwise secured to the body portion of said wire. It is to be observed that the transverse bend 35 corresponds in function to the cross-bar 25, and that the opposite bends 32 and 38, 33 and 37, and 34 and 36 form an opening which corresponds in function to the slot 23 and its extension-slot 24:.

In using the above-described implements the fabric to be turfed is preferably placed with its back or wrong side upward, and a pattern is laid upon said upper side. The turfing implement is, as before stated, held with its needle pendent, and the needle is thrust downward through the fabric and then withdrawn upward, as presently more fully explained. Previously to this, however, the im plement is, of course, threaded, which is accomplished as follows: A strand or thread 39 of any suitable turfing material is first passed between the stirrup 11 and the cross-bar 25, as the case may be, and the lower end of the plug, and said thread is then carried to the eye in the outer end of the needle and passed through said eye. (See Fig. 11.) Now, when the needle is thrust downward through the fabric the users finger is pressed upon the head let, moving the stirrup 11 or cross-bar 25, as the case may be, downward away from the plug, and thus unlocking the thread and allowing it to feed. After having been thus thrust downward through the fabric as far as desired the user lifts the implement upward and at the same instant removes the finger from the head 14, permitting the spring to elevate the stirrup-bar and causing the stirrup or cross bar to lock the thread, so as to stop its feed. The needle is again thrust downward through the fabric and elevated, as before, and the stirrup-bar is correspondingly depressed and released, and these operations are repeated until the desired amount of turfing has been completed.

Each downward and upward movement of the needle produces one of the loops 40, which constitutes the turfing, and it will be seen that the implement is direct and positive in its action and convenient to manipulate.

It will further be seen that we have produced a turfing implement which is simple, durable, and inexpensive of construction, containing but few working parts, and consequently subjected to but little wear while in use.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A turfing implement, comprising a suitable handle having a longitudinal bore, a needle inserted rigidly into the lower end of said bore, and a spring-retracted thread-locking stirrup-bar placed movably in and working through said bore and having a rigid thread-locking stirrup at its lower end, substantially as set forth.

2. A turfing implement, comprising a suitable handle having a longitudinal bore, a

needle mounted rigidly in the lower end of said bore, and a spring-retracted thread-locking stirrup-bar located within the handle and having a rigid locking-stirrup at one end and a lateral extension at its opposite end portion to receive the retracting thrust of the spring, substantially as set forth.

3. A turfing implement, comprising a suitable handle having ,a longitudinal bore, a plug inserted into the lower end of the bore and provided with a socket, a needle engaging said socket, a retaining-screw extending through registering openings in the handle and plug and impinging upon the needle to hold it rigidly in position, substantially as set forth.

4. A turfing implement, comprising a suitable handle having a longitudinal bore, a plug inserted into the lower end of the bore, a needle engaginga socket in said plug, a retaining-screw carried by the handle and plug and impinging upon said needle, a stirrup- I11 testimony whereof We affix our signabar reciprocally mounted in the handle and tures in the presence of two Witnesses. provided With a longitudinal slot through JOHN H. MORSE. which the retaining-screw projects, and a W'INSLOWV R. PARSONS.

lateral extension near its u or end and a i q u 5 head orfinger-pieoe,andaspifa l spring within Vltnesses fol John M0186 said bore and surrounding said stirrup-bar, and bearing at its opposite ends against said plug and said extension, to hold the stirrup- Witnesses for Vinslow R. Parsons: 10 bar normally retracted, substantially as set DAVID GRANT,

forth. JOHN VERVERALD.

BRUNO HoBBs, ELVIRA GRIFFIN. 

